Shipping case



A. D. CHILDS AND R. A. TURREL.

SHIPPING CASE.

APPLICATION FILED Fa. 12.1921.

1,41 1,406. Patented Apr. .4, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

A. D. CHILDS AND R'. A. TURREL.

SHIPPING CASE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.12, |921.

Patented Apr. 4, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Cil

UNITED stares .PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR D. onrnns, ornonrrr BRADLEY, anna-canali a. Tenant, or COLEMAN, f

MICHIGAN.

SHIPPING CASE.

Application filed February 1 2, 1921.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that we, ARTHUR D. CHILDS and ROBERT A. TURRnL, citizens of the United States, residing at North Bradley and Coleman, respectively, in the county of Midland and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful lmpro'vements in Shipping Cases, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain improvements in shipping cases and has relation more particularly to a device of this general character which may be collapsed or compacted, when not .in use, to occupy a mini-y mum of space, and it is an object of the invention to provide a device of this general character provided with novel and improved means whereby the same may be effectively and conveniently locked or held in extended or working adjustment.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improvedY device of this general character including foldable side panels together' with a top panel having sliding engagement with one of the side panels sothat said top panel may be moved into closing position or into open position in accordance with the requirements of practice.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a device of this general character embodying side and end'panels adapted 'to be folded or compacted in superimposed re lation with respect to the bottom panel and wherein novel and improved means are pro videolfor maintaining the device in its col lapsed or compacted adjustment. y

The invention consist in the details of. construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts of our improved shipping` case whereby certain important advantages are attained and the device rendered simpler, less expensive and otherwise more convenient and advantageous for use, as will loe hereinafter more fully set forth. I

`The novel features of our invention will hereinafter be deinitelyclaimed.

In order that our invention may be the better understood, we will now proceed to describethe same with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein Y Figure l is a view in perspective of a 'shipping case constructedin accordance Vwith Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 4, 1922.

Serial No. 444,472.

an embodiment of our invention, same being in an extended or working position;

Figure 2 a longitudinally vertical sed tional view taken through our improved case as herein disclosed;

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken through the device, as illustrated in Figure 2;

Figure 4. is a view in perspective illustrating our improved case in folded or compacted adjustment;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view in perspective of an end portion of our improved case showing one of the connections between the top panel and the side panel and the portion of the locking means carrieifl by the side panel for holding the end panel inV raised or elevated position;

Figure `(i is a fragmentanv view in perspective and one of the latch members carried thereby, and

Figure 7 is a fragmentary view in pen spective illustrating a hinged connection between a side panel and one of the flan-ges carried by the bottom panel.

lVhile our case as herein disclosed particularly adapted for use in the shipping of bread, we do not wish to be understood as limitng ourselves in this particular respect as the case can be used in connection with other articles or commodities.

As disclosed in the accompanying drawings, l denotes a. bottom panel of desired dimensions and preferably oblong form. The longitudinal marginal portions of the panel should have extending upwardly therefrom the flanges 2 and 3, each of said fianges having its extremities terminating a slight distance inwardlyof the adjacent end of the panel l. The iianges 2 and 3 are of different heights fora purpose to be hereinafter more particularly referred to.

l-lingedly connecte-d as at et with each of the flanges 2 and 3 is a side panel 5,4 said panel 5 being of a length co-extensive with the length of the coacting flange. Y

Each of the hinged connections a comprises an inverted U-shaped member a s'e- Cri is loosely disposed through a knuckle or sleeve I) carried by the lowei` lmarginal portion of the side panel 5 and seated within a recess 7 )reduced in the inner face of said panel. lily this means each of the side panels may be readily raised or elevated into working position or folded or compacted as required. Then the panel 5 is raised or elevated the hinged or inner longitudinal edge thereof will contact with or abut the upper edge of the coacting flange 2 or 3 whereby the extent of upward or outward movement of said panel is limited. Each of the side panels 5 preferably comprises aI skeleton frame to which issuitably secured a lamination 8 of cardboard or other material as may best comply with the necessities of ractice.

ingedly connected as at 9 to the bottom panel 1 between the flanges 2 and 3 and adjacent the opposite end portions of said flanges, are the end panels 10. Each, of the end panels 10 is of a width to substantially snugly bridge the space between the flanges 2 and 3, and each of said end panels 10 is also of a height whereby the upper edge of said panel will be substantially flush with the upper cdgesof the side panels 5 when the panels 5 and 10 are raised or elevated in a working position.

Each of the end panels 10 is also preferably comprised of a skeleton frame having disposed thereover a lamination 1.1 of cardboard or other desirable material. y

When the case is collapsed or compacted the end panels 10 are swung inwardly to overlie the bottom panel 1 and after which the side panels 5 are swung inwardly over the end panels 5 with said side panels 5 superimposed one over the other. By having the flanges 2 and 3 of different heights, this desired folding or compacting` of the panels 5 and 1() is effected.

The opposite ends of each of the side panels 5 are provided with the inwardly directed flanges 1.2 which serve as stops with which the end panels 10 engage when raised or elevated. VThe upper end portion ot each ofthe flanges 12 is provided with an inwardly directed extension or arm 14; terminating in anV outwardly directed lip or flange 15. Each end panel 10 has pivotally engaged with the upper portion thereof and at the opposite sides of said end panel, the latch members 16. Each ofthe latch inembers 16 is provided adjacent a free end with a pair of transversely spaced depending tensions or wings 17'which are adapted to overlie the opposite faces of the end panel. 1() with the outer extension or wing 1T over lyinof an extension or arm 14 when the pane s 5 and l0V are raised or elevated into lworking relation. By this means the adjacentends of side panels 5 and 1,0 are effectively locked in their working relation `and which connect-ion is materially facilitated by the outstanding lip or flange 15 of each of the extensions or arms 14.

One of the side panels 5 is provided at its outer or upper longitudinal marginal portion with a pair of longitudinally spaced loopfinembers 19 extending beyond said adjacent longitudinal edge of the panel 5.

20 denotes a top panel of desired dimensions and configurations and which has suitablv secured to its inner face the transversely disposed elongated brackets 21, each including an intermediate substantially straight portion 0 which freely and slidably disposed through a loop member 19 hereinbefore referred to. By these means the top panel 20 is carried by a side panel 5 but is capable of sliding movement transversely in a direction transverse to the bottom panel 1 and also capable of swinging movement so that when said top panel 20 is in open position the same may overlie the outer face of the side panel 5 with which it is directly associated. The panel 5 provided with the loop members 19 is hingedly connected with the flange 3 of greater height so that when the case is collapsed or compacted, the top panel 20 will be disposed over the superimposed panels 5 and 10.

lVhen the case is extended into working relation the top panel 2O isilocked in closed position through the instrumentality of the liasps 22 pivotally engaged with the longitudinal marginal portions of the top anel 2O substantially at the center thereof. tach of these hasps 22 isv adapted to coact with the outsanding staple member 23 secured to the outer longitudinal marginal portion of the side panel 5. lVhen a hasp 22 is en-` vgaged with a staple member 23, it is adapted to be engaged with `the staple member in Va well-known manner.

When the case is collapsed orconipacted the liasps 22 are adapted to engage the Vstaple members 2-1 extending outwardly from the central crtion of the flan es 2 and 3 so that sait case may be effectively held or locked in its `foldedor compacted relation.

To further facilitate the maintenance of the case in its folded yor compacted condition we find it of advantage to pivotally engage with the opposite end portions of the bottom panels 1, the members 25, each Substantially in the form of an inverted U with its upper or central portion disposed substantially at right angles tooverlie an end portion ofthe top panel 20 when the case is collapsed or compacted. The top panel 20 at each end thereof is provided with the latchrmember 26 engageable with the menimembers 25 will swing outwardly into a position to afford no obstruction to the desired assemble of the panels 5 and l0. In order to hold the members from undue outward swinging movement when the crate is extended into working position we find it of advantage to provide each end of the panel 5 with a swinging catch 2T to cooperate with the adjacent member Q5 to hold said member 25 in a position relatively close to the extended end panel lO.

From the foregoing description it is thought to be obvious that a shipping case constructed in accordance with our invention is particularly well adapted to use by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled and operated, and it will also be obvious that o ur invention is susceptible of some change and modification without departing from the principles and spirit thereof, and for this reason we do not wish to be understood as limiting ourselves to the precise arrangement and formation of the several parts herein shown in carrying` out our invention in practice except as hereinafter claimed.

7e claim:

1. A shiping case comprising a bottom panel, side and end panels hingedly connected with the bottom panel and foldable inwardly thereof into superimposed relation, inwardly directed flanges carried by the ends of the side panels with which the end panels contact when raised, each of said flanges being provided with an inwardly directed extension having' an angular related lip and a latch member coacting with each of the extensions of the flanges and pivotally engaged with an end panel, said latch members being provided with a wing to overlie the extension of the coacting flange.

2. A shipping' case comprising a bottom panel, side and end panels hingedly connected with the bottom panel and foldable inwardly thereof into superimposed. relation, inwardly directed flanges carried by the ends of the side panels with which the end panels contact. when raised, each of said flanges being provided with an inwardly directed extension having an angular related lip and a latch member coacting with each of the extensions of the flanges and'pivotally engaged with an end panel, said latch member being provided with a pair of spaced wings to overlie the opposite faces of an end panel, and one of said wings overlying an extension of a flange.

A shipping case comprising a bottom panel, side panels hingedly connected therewith, end panels hingedly connected with the bottom panel, said side and end panels being foldable inwardly of the bottom panel in superimposed relation, means for maintaining the end and side panels in their raised positions, loop members carried by the upper marginal portion of one of the side panels and extending therebeyond, a top panel, transversely disposed brackets secured to the inner face of the top panel, each of said brackets including an intermediate portion freely disposed through one of the loop members carried by a side panel, said top panel overlying the side and end panels when the case is collapsed, and coacting means carried by the top panel and the bot tom panel for holding the case collapsed, said means including members pivotally engaged with the end portions of the bottom panel and each of said members having an angular portion to overlie an end portion of the top when the case is collapsed, and a latch member coacting with the angular portion of'each of said last named members and carried by the top panel.

In testimony' whereof we hereunto affix our signatures.

ARTHUR D. CHILDS. ROBERT A. TURREL. 

